Corridors – Winter 2010

EHR Incentives for Hospitals— Defining the First Milestones in Achieving “Meaningful Use”

Hospitals and medical professionals planning to take advantage of electronic health record (EHR) incentives created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (last year’s federal stimulus package) now have a clearer idea of what they will have to accomplish to qualify for the incentives with recent rules issued by the feds.

The H-1C Visa Program Has Expired: What Other Options Are Available to Bring in Foreign Nurses?

With the expiration of the H-1C visa for nurses on December 21, 2009, employers must consider other alternatives to hire foreign nurses. The need for visa alternatives is even more critical as the U.S. Department of Labor predicts a growing need for registered nurses due to an aging population and technological advances that emphasize preventive health care.

There’s a Guy at the Door with a Badge

Hearing these words is every health care provider’s worst nightmare. But, with the increasing use of state and federal police powers to investigate allegations of fraud, abuse and neglect at hospitals and other health care facilities, the odds of hearing them at some point are growing.

A Proposed New Year’s Resolution

For 2010, a good New Year’s resolution from an employment law perspective would be to review your existing personnel policies, paying particular attention to your electronic usage policy.